Here you go
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I use my NESCO for turkeys every year. Love it. But, then we all have the same dilemma. Crispy skin doesn’t exist on a NESCO bird, so the skin freaks lose out.
I was thinking about switching gears, though, and breasting the bird out, removing the thighs as well, and braising the thighs, and making the breasts like two roasts. Boil the hell out of the carcass left, toss to the yotes. The thighs are my TG highlight.
I usually have to feed 12-16, and this year only my 4, so the pressure is off. Ahhh!
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These are the turkeys I got from Wild Fork.
I probably should have shared those pics nekkid
I hope using the word nekkid doesn’t set me up for something dodgy in my curated feed
I have given the whole one to BIL to fry, and I am dry-brining the breast with salt and Whole Spice Honey BBQ spice rub.
For dinner I had salt fish and akee, fried plantain, bread fruit, and avocado (“pear”).
Here’s pictures of son learning to roll domas from dil
And her “Friends giving” menu.
Turkish Style Mac and Cheese 
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I am curious to find out what Turkish mac 'n cheese is. How is it different from the North American version?
Also, I like the idea of a Prosecco bar 
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The first translation of “fırında makarna” I happened upon translated to pastitsio, but I see a few versions. I think this one is in Turkish.
…like the idea of a Prosecco bar
Yes! I am already in Georgia (state, not country) , so this is second hand.
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What a fantastic and unusual Thxgiving meal! I would love that.
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I just made this and the bourbon definitely does not cook off. Delicious! I added a tablespoon of my fermented habanero sauce to tip into spicy territory.
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My liquid almost all cooks off. I’ve thought about adding part of a minced serrano. So far, when I make my favorite stuffing, Charlie Trotters (I don’t put cranberries, add sliced fresh water chestnuts, slivered almonds, chunks of peeled apple. It’s sourdough bread and for a double recipe now I add 3 minced serranos, just gives a little kick.
So happy you like the recipe, my friends love it. I made 5 of them today, gave 4 away. Very tiring zesting all those oranges! House smells lovely still. I had some on a toasted English muffin with cream cheese.
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Thank you for sharing! I second the proseco bar idea.
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Hi, can you go on a bit more about the beet-tinged salmon? It looks simply fantastic. Do the beets add a bit of flavor to the salmon?
Sure, here’s the thread where I described it a bit more.
No flavor; I thought it might add a bit sweetness, but there’s already sugar in the cure.
Having never added tint before, I was a bit wary and went very light (1 small beet for 1lb of salmon, some recipes called for 1:1 but I didn’t want it completely purple 
).
I had run out of beets when I started the cure, so I added them next day after I got some more. It was a very pretty presentation, purple-tinged on the outer rim of every slice, arranged as rosettes on a marble board. (Wish I hadn’t forgotten to take a pic, but everyone showed up 2 hours early right then, so we could hang out longer, and it was a bit nuts getting the cheese board set out, puff pastry spirals into the oven, and so on.)
I might go up to 2 small beets next time for a slightly deeper tint, though 1 beet for the full 3 days might also do the trick.
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Inspired by the delicious vegetarian and vegan choices on that Friendsgiving menu.
Some of our extended family who used to partake of the traditional Thanksgiving turkey no longer do. A meze approach sounds festive. Noting for future reference, yum.
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I just moved my duck from the freezer to the refrigerator to start the thawing process. I’ve done some research and read all of the recipes, provided on the forum. (thank you, all)
I consulted my mother who has cooked a few ducks, but not many. She said my Dad’s mother cooked quite a few. My mother passed on what tricks/recipe my (paternal) grandmother had given her.
Fingers crossed!!
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Stuffing Balls on NPR’s What’s Cooking
npr.org/2022/11/20/11360/72763thanksgiving-dressing-balls-recipe
If it won’t load up, try the npr.org website
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Would love to hear these if you’re willing!
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Apparently, Grandma would make slices (about an inch apart) in the skin all over the duck, then rub it with plenty of salt. Keep it elevated in the pan, so all the fat could drain out of slits in the skin. Start cooking it breast side up, then flip it over when the (breast) skin just started to get dark. She wouldn’t pull it out until the bottom side (which was now pointing up) until it was almost burnt (very dark). I don’t know why she cooked the bottom longer and darker than the breast area, I imagine she had a reason, but my mother can’t remember why.
My mother couldn’t remember the temperatures/times Grandma used, but after some discussion, we are thinking 1/2 hour at 425 (F), then down to 350 (F) for an hour and back up to 425 (F) for the last half hour. I’ll flip the duck over at the hour mark. I’ll also be temp checking it with an instant read thermometer. I’ll pull it at 165 (F) internal.
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How does this compare to other recipes peeps on HO posted for you?
I love my Swingaway fat separator. You wait a bit until drippings aren’t hella hot, pour into device, wait a couple of minutes to settle, then you’ll see the fat in top part and will be able to squirt out liquid at bottom until you get to fat part, save that part separately.
Use a big enough pan for all the fat coming out of the duck.
You’ve done well. My own “rule” now for less-stress holiday meals is to never make a recipe for the first time. Those always take me twice as long to assemble as shown in the recipe, and I fret the whole time whether they’ll come out right (over/under baked, release from pan, etc.). I also worried about taste (too sweet? too much salt?) since you can’t taste-test before presenting it to guests.
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FYI:
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Made a huge batch of stuffing, no recipe, improvising but also using up CSA stuff. Brussels sprouts, onions, mixed lettuce. 
cook with a little water and seasonings, no fat, love Better than Bouillion. Added two bundles of Thanksgiving-centric herbs. Then added stock, a little butter, and cut up ciabatta rolls. Added more water toward the end and raisins and pumpkin seeds. Did not make it to the casserole dish (yet…) but had a small bowl. Super happy with the results even if this was just me ad-libbing in the kitchen, 
.
Thursday is Thanksgiving at my neighbors house; still deciding whether to go to another Thanksgiving at a friends house this weekend.
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